Worker: School chief joked of 'converting' her to lesbian

Jun. 17, 2014
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Markham Place School, whose former principal Dennis Morolda left his post in May. Morolda was among educators and board members named in a hostile workplace lawsuit filed by JoAnn Riley, the districtâ??s former special services supervisor. / Littlesilverschools.org

JoAnn Riley, the district's former special services supervisor, said in the lawsuit that superintendent Kossack joked about "converting" Riley into a lesbian and that her sexual advances became increasingly aggressive after she was hired in 2012.

Riley also is suing the Little Silver public schools and school board members Meggan Bateman, Stephanie Brannagan, Andrew Walsh, Lorre Weisman, former school board member Kevin Brennan and former Markham Place School principal Dennis Morolda.

Morolda left his post in May.

The case originally was filed in 2013 in Middlesex County because Riley lives in Edison. The case ultimately was transferred to Monmouth County, where it is progressing en route to trial.

Riley maintains Kossack's inappropriate behavior started almost immediately with inappropriate texts, including one that informed Riley of the superintendent's prior female lovers, according to the lawsuit.

"Dr. Kossack sent Riley texts about three different female lovers, one of whom was young; another of whom was described as physically beautiful but abusive and one who was mostly platonic because of a lack of sexual chemistry," according to the lawsuit.

"In one of her texts, Dr. Kossack ...'joked' about converting JoAnn into a lesbian," according to the lawsuit.

The inappropriate texts mostly were sent at night and on weekends and "had nothing to do with anything that was remotely work-related," according to the lawsuit, which maintains Kossack asked Riley to keep the texts secret.

Riley engaged in such conversations with Kossack hoping they would abate over time, according to the lawsuit. Riley sought meetings with Kossack to discuss their personal interaction and get performance feedback but had trouble getting Kossack to set a date.

When she did, on Nov. 27, 2012, Riley said Kossack fired her without advance notice that her work performance was inadequate.

The termination violated the board's method of terminating employees, which typically is preceded by a board meeting, according to the lawsuit.

Kossack did not return a call for comment and her lawyer at the Manasquan law firm of Wolff Helies Duggan declined comment.

Howard Nirenberg, the Hackensack lawyer representing the Little Silver public schools and the individually named school board members could not be reached for comment.

Morolda, now principal of the Haddonfield Middle School, was added to Riley's lawsuit because he declined to help her when she sought his assistance, according to Riley's lawyer, Eric S. Pennington, of South Orange.

Morolda was a former union representative for faculty and staff and also was part of the team that interviewed Riley for a position in the Little Silver schools, according to the lawsuit. Riley also sought feedback from Morolda as Kossack's interactions became more assertive, according to the lawsuit.

"The litigation is ongoing," said William Nossen, a lawyer with the state's principals and supervisors association who is defending Morolda. "We vehemently believe the charges against Mr. Morolda lack merit."